There鈥檚 increasing evidence that the chemical mixtures we use to clean our homes create indoor pollution. 鈥淢ost of our exposure to hazardous pollutants occurs indoors, and a primary source of these pollutants is our everyday consumer products,鈥� says Anne Steinemann at the University of Melbourne in Australia.
This includes air fresheners, shampoos, soaps, scented candles, laundry detergents and cleaning products. There is no legal requirement for these products to list all their ingredients, and while the compounds they contain may each have individually been tested for toxicity, we don鈥檛 know how dangerous they become when mixed.
Advertisement
Ironically, many of the pollutants seem to come from ingredients to make the products smell clean and fresh. When fragrance compounds like limonene and other terpenes get into the air, says Steinemann, they can react with ozone to generate compounds such as formaldehyde, which is carcinogenic.
How clean is too clean? The truth about hygiene and your health
We drill our children to wash their hands, but kids who grow up on farms or with a dog seem to be healthier. Uncover the dirty truth about cleanliness.
How we build modern homes compounds the problem. 鈥淲hat we鈥檝e done to our housing is to seal it to prevent energy loss,鈥� says Stephen Holgate at the University of Southampton, UK. The problem is worst in the most efficient homes. 鈥淰entilation is very low, and chemicals can accumulate in the air and dust.鈥�
Cleaning products aren鈥檛 the only source of pollutants 鈥� paint, wood resins and chemical treatments on soft furnishings like carpets contribute too 鈥� but we clean our homes far more often than we refurbish them.
Steinemann suggests switching to edible cleaning substances such as vinegar, bicarbonate of soda and lemons. Air purifiers are no help; they remove large particles of allergens, such as dust and pet hair, rather than small fragrance chemicals.
Green air
If you can鈥檛 bear knocking off on the cleaning, one solution might be the humble houseplant. We鈥檝e known for more than a decade, thanks to NASA research into crewed space flight, that like benzene and formaldehyde from the air. Last year, a team tested how well five common houseplants remove mixtures of organic compounds from the air of a sealed chamber. The winner turned out to be Guzmania lingulata, a type of bromeliad often seen in offices, which could absorb high amounts of each of the eight substances tested.
But a single sad perennial in your living room isn鈥檛 going to do much. 鈥淚n a house where you鈥檝e got chemicals that are quite toxic, even to plants,鈥� says Holgate, 鈥淚 doubt it will make much of a difference.鈥�
At the last count we had 16 plants in our flat, but I take his point. Until NASA furnishes the specifics, Holgate suggests opening the window. 鈥淚t鈥檚 rare to see houses with windows open today. In the old days, ventilating your house was an everyday activity, but that doesn鈥檛 happen in the UK any more.鈥�
Can I stop washing?
No! Washing your hands with soap and water has been shown to cut the incidence of . Do it before and after cooking, before eating, after using the toilet, and after touching animals or rubbish. As for the daily shower, there is no evidence for claims that it is to blame for the rise in asthma and eczema. Children who wash daily seem to be healthier 鈥� and any bacteria you lose during washing are rapidly replaced.
Is the 5-second rule real?
Not even close. On contact with a surface, food picks up bacteria in . So should you eat it? If you鈥檝e dropped it where dogs have been defecating, probably best not to. But if you鈥檙e proud of keeping your kitchen floor so clean you could eat off it, it鈥檚 probably no harm to put this into practice.
Should I wash food?
Raw fruit and vegetable yes 鈥� but chicken, no. Nasty Campylobacter bacteria are often found on chickens, and washing is likely to splash them further around your kitchen, giving them a ride to your mouth via your hands. Just make sure you cook the chicken through properly and disinfect preparation surfaces.
Should I vacuum?
It depends. Regular vacuuming with a high-filtration machine is recommended for people who have asthma, or an allergy to dust mites or other indoor substances, or who don鈥檛 want any judgement from visitors. If none of this applies, the dust bunnies won鈥檛 bite.
Does the washing-up really need a rinse?
Absolutely. Detergent and soap don鈥檛 kill bacteria 鈥� they simply help detach dirt and germs, meaning they鈥檙e still there on the surface. If you simply wipe your dishes with cloth and detergent, all you鈥檙e doing is wiping the microbes around. So rinse with plenty of water, preferably hot.
The upside of chaos
There might be a 鈥渟weet spot鈥� for how much cleaning you need to do to maintain good hygiene (see main story), but the evidence for how much mess is good is thinner on the ground.
Some studies suggest that surrounding yourself with meaningful objects helps you define and connect with your home 鈥� but too much clutter can get in the way of cooking, cleaning and freedom of movement.
But trouble with clutter might go beyond safety hazards. Evidence suggests that working women who describe their homes as cluttered or unfinished have stress hormone patterns that may be less healthy. Other studies have suggested a link between disorganised, cluttered homes and worse .
But the most frequently cited research shows that the tidiness of our surroundings influences our behaviour. You may have heard that tidier desks encourage healthier snacking, while messier desks make you more creative. These claims are based on a 2013 study that invited participants to do a range of activities while sat in either an ordered or disordered room. Its findings suggested that people behave more conventionally when in a tidy environment 鈥� more often picking the option labelled 鈥渃lassic鈥� on a menu, for example. And those sat in messy rooms came up with more creative ideas 鈥� in this instance, .
In short, the research provides ammunition for both sides 鈥� those of us who struggle to defend our messiness and the ones urging better organisation. Converts to Japanese lifestyle guru Marie Kondo鈥檚 decluttering guidelines may tell you that a tidy home is a less stressful one. But I鈥檒l see your Kondo and raise you one A. A. Milne, who said that 鈥渙ne of the advantages of being disorderly is that one is constantly making exciting discoveries鈥�.
This article appeared in print under the headline 鈥淕erm warfare鈥�
